Rotary engine.



No. 883,575. PATENTED MAR. e1, 1908. ,H.G.SGHAEFER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

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ATTORNEYS v No; 883,575. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908. H. G. SGHAEFER. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6.1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT CLYDE SGHAEFER, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed August 6, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT (.7. Serum- FER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of TeXas, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improved rotary engine adapted to be economically driven in either direction by any actuating fluid, as steam, gas, water,-air, etc.

The invention primarily has in view the provision of a rotary engine in which undue friction and wear between the cylinder and piston will be avoided, whereby the effi ciency of the engine is augmented, and also to provide for the equalization of the fluid pressure at each end of the piston blade, and to prevent the inward movement thereof under pressure when moving under the action of the motive fluid.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a central vertical cross section of my improved rotary engine, on the line 1-1. of Fig. 2 Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 1., on the line of said figure; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the piston; Fig 4 is a fragmentary view of the piston, partly in section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the piston blades removed from the piston.

The preferred practical construction of my improved rotary engine comprises a cylinder 10 supported on feet 11 and having ring heads 12 fitted thereto on opposite sides, each head being formed on the inner face with a rib 13 which extends substantially a semi-circumference at the lower half of the engine, the extremities of the ribs being pointed, or wedge-shaped, as clearly shown in Fig. 1., for a purpose hereinafter made apparent. The heads 12 are preferably formed integral with or otherwise secured to suitably spaced arms 14 which provide bearings for a driving shaft 15, and are interiorily counterbored or rabbeted to fit a revoluble piston 16 rigidly secured in any suitable way to the aforesaid driving shaft. The manner of securing the piston to this shaft is preferably accomplished by providing the shaft with a squared central portion 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 387,316.

The piston 16 is in the form of a skeleton wheel which leaves the center of the engine entirely open except for the spokes connecting its hub and periphery. Two of these spokes which are in diametrioal alinement are formed with sockets to slidably receive the enlarged or headed ends of the blades 18 and are normally forced outwardly by helical-springs 19, the latter being preferably three in number for each blade, as shown in Fig. 4, and are retained in proper operative position in the socket of the piston by headed studs or screws 20 threaded into the inner end of the blade.

Each blade is provided with one or more apertures 21 running throughout its length, which act to equalize the fluid pressure at both of its ends, and is also provided with notches. 22 at opposite sides, for the purpose of engaging the ribs 13 on the ring heads 12, during the revolution of the piston, and pre vent the inward movement of the blade under pressure when moving under the action of the motive fluid. The wedge shaped or pointed ends of the ribs insure the engagement of the blades therewith without shock in the rotation of the piston in either direction. The heads or shoulders of the blades confined within the sockets prevent centrifugal force from unduly forcing the outer ends of the blades against the cylinder, and thus minimize the friction between and'the Wear of these parts, thereby greatly adding to the efficiency of the engine.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the piston is provided with annular grooves 23 at its opposite ends, within which are packing rings 24 firmly pressing on the ring heads 12 and forming fluid tight joints therebetween. The top of the cylinder receives the extended base 25 of a steam chest 26, the said base being made to conform to the periphery of the piston and providing an abutment'for the steam or other fluid pressure to react in the operation of the engine. Through this we tended portion of the steam chest at each side are formed admission ports 27 andexhaust ports 28, the former being adapted to be placed in alternate communication with an interior steam chamber 28 by a slide valve 29 operating within the steam chest. The steam chamber 28 is supplied with the motive fluid through a pipe connection 30, and the exhaust which passes within. the steam chest, eXteriorly of the slide valve 29, escapes through a pipe connection 31.

Patented March 31, 1908.

valve stem 33 attached to the valve and.

slidably received in suitable guideways formed at the opposite. ends of thesteam chest, is provided with an operating handle 34 by which the speed and the direction of rotation of the engine may be readily con trolled.

During the revolution of the piston, the blades 18 are retracted within the sockets in which they are slidably contained, as they approach the abutment 25, by cams 35 which are preferably formed on or affixed to each of the ring heads 12 and at each side of the abutment. This construction and disposition of the cams serve to engage the outer ends of the piston blades and force them within the piston, no matter in which direction the engine is running.

The invention as shown and described,

. while being the preferred practical embodiment of my improved rotary engine, may obviously be modified in numerous particulars within the scope of the claims annexed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having a head, a piston revolubly mounted in said cylinder having a slidable blade, a spring for forcing said blade outwardly fromthe piston, and means carried by said head for engaging said blade and relieving the cylinder of the pressure of the blade acting under the iniiuence of the spring.

2. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having ring heads, a skeleton piston revolubly mounted in said heads, ribs formed on said heads, and a blade slidably mounted in the iston, having notches to engage said ribs for the purpose described.

3. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having a head, a piston revolubly mounted in said cylinder having a slidable blade, and means carried by said head for engaging the said blade and preventing the forcible bearing thereof on the cylinder during substantially the entire time the blade is subjected to the pressure of the actuating agent at each revolution.

4. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having heads, a piston revolubly mounted in said cylinder having a slidable blade, and ribs formed on said heads adapted to be engaged by notches in said blade and prevent the forcible bearing of the blade on the cylinder during substantially the entire time the blade is subjected to the pressure of the actuating agent at each revolution.

5. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having rabbeted ring heads, a piston revolubly mounted in the rabbeted portions of said heads having circumferential annular grooves at its opposite ends, packing rings located in said grooves, ribs carried by said heads, and blades slidably mounted in the piston, having notches adapted to engage with said ribs during a part of the revolution of the piston for the purpose described.

6. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a fluid chest having an extended base projecting into the cylinder providing an abutment, heads for the cylinder having cams at the opposite sides of said abutment, a piston revolubly mounted within the cylinder,

blades slidable within the piston adapted to be retracted in the revolution thereof by said cams, and a slide valve in the fluid chest for controlling the admission to and the exhaust from said cylinder.

7. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a piston revolubly mounted in the cylinder, a blade slidable within a socket in the piston, having an enlarged head to engage the piston when projected, and spring arranged in said socket acting to force the blade outwardly.

8. In a rotary engine, a cylinder having heads, a piston revolubly mounted in the cylinder, blades slidable within sockets in the piston, having apertures passing longitudinally therethrough, means within said sockets for normally forcing the blades outwardly, and ribs formed on the cylinder heads, adapted to engage with said blades during the revolution of the piston for the purpose described.

9. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a piston revolubly mounted in the cylinder, having a slidable blade, an abutment projecting'into the cylinder and having admission and exhaust ports at the opposite sides thereof with an intermediate fluid chamber, a fluid chest in communication with said ports and chamber, and a valve slidably mounted in said chest over said chamber and ports.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT CLYDE SCHAEFER.

IVitnesses:

R. C. WALSI-IE, U. A. COEN. 

